Life after Radio…An Actor’s Journey
by Krickett Davis

I retired from my 18-year Radio career in 2000. While the retirement wasn’t voluntary, it was clearly necessary. I had enjoyed a lively career as a DJ, News Reporter and Traffic Reporter. I’d MADE IT from the cornfields of Iowa (my first radio station call letters were KPGY – K-Piggy) to Los Angeles. Now it was time to move on.

Where does one “move on to” after a life in Radio ? I had such a unique set of skills that I couldn’t figure out where to plug them in next. I read once that when you’re looking to change careers, you should call everybody in your dayplanner & tell them you’re looking for work. (Don’t tell them what job you’re looking for. They know you & if they know of a job that you’d fit, they’ll tell you.) I got to the “C’s” in my dayplanner when I struck GOLD. My dear friend & teacher, Joyce Castellanos, a Promo Voiceover Director at The WB Television Network told me a position had just opened up at The WB for a V.O. Director in the Promo Department. She got me in the door & I somehow convinced them that my background in radio & my having studied Promo with Joyce made me a perfect candidate. Truth is, I was in WAY over my head. I shut my mouth & digested everything going on around me.

My job was to direct the VO talent, give final approval on the Promo Audio Mix leaving the bay and track paperwork. I had no business directing the likes of Hal Douglas, Rino Romano & Jonathan Cook. They were pros who did this every day. I didn’t even know the lingo. They taught me. Then there were the Grammy Award winning mixers who taught me how to “hear & listen” with a more discerning ear. And the other Directors were always there to lend their expertise. My co-workers at The WB have been incredibly generous in sharing their knowledge. Over the past 5 years, they’ve taught me how to direct & voice Promos.

As a voice actor, Promo voiceover has been a passion of mine for 15 years. I always played around with Promo copy, but things never really worked. It wasn’t until I got to the WB that I began to really “get” what Promo was all about. Immersed in Promo daily, I saw it from the Directors point of view. I saw it from the Writer’s point of view. I saw it from the Producer’s point of view. I saw actors negotiate all kinds of obstacles that come up in Promo. And by watching them work it out, I learned.

I’ve just finished my Promo VO Demo & am about to start the marketing campaign to launch my voiceover career. My demos are on my website @ www.krickettdavis.com. I teach Voiceover & Promo Voiceover at Kalmenson & Kalmenson Voicecasting. I’m also about to launch my On Camera Hosting Career & am in the middle of developing 2 TV shows.

So while I left Radio, I never the left the field of Entertainment. I’ve been growing and laughing ever since. I wish the same for you, should you find yourself making a career transition!

Krickett Davis is a freelance VO Director at The WB Television Network. Krickett is a Voice Actor. She also teaches Voiceover & Promo Voiceover at Kalmenson & Kalmenson Voicecasting in Burbank. Krickett teaches Radio News at the Academy of Radio Broadcasting in Huntington Beach. Krickett is also launching her On-Camera Hosting Career & is developing 2 TV shows. Krickett’s life is slightly insane, but very, very FUN ! Her website: www.krickettdavis.com.